Written Answers Tuesday 19 February 2008

Scottish Executive

Class Sizes

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary 1 to 3 pupils in Aberdeen city primary schools were in class sizes of (a) 18 and under, (b) 19 to 25, (c) 26 to 30 and (d) over 30 in each school year from 2003-04 to 2007-08.

The Executive have supplied the following corrected answer:

Adam Ingram: Information for the 2007 census is due to be published on 26 February. Data for the previous years are shown in the following table:

  Percentage of P1-P3 Pupils in Aberdeen City Primary Schools, by Size of Class

  

 
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 0-18
 7
 7
 7
 13


 19-25
 57
 59
 62
 56


 26-30
 35
 34
 31
 31


 over 30
 1
 0
 0
 0

Dentistry

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attendances there were at the accident and emergency department of Dundee Dental Hospital in the last year for which figures are available.

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of attendances at the accident and emergency department of Dundee Dental Hospital since April 2007.

Shona Robison: The information requested has been provided by NHS Tayside and is shown in the following table. The information relates to "walk in" patients, the majority of whom are not registered with a general dental practitioner.

  Accident and Emergency Attendances at Dundee Dental Hospital: January to December 2007

  

 January
 887


 February
 729


 March
 838


 April
 819


 May
 907


 June
 784


 July
 791


 August
 846


 September
 685


 October
 750


 November
 723


 December
 636


 Total
 9395



  Source: Medical Records at Dundee Dental Hospital.

Diabetes

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that diabetic patients on rosiglitazone who suffer from ischemic heart disease or peripheral arterial disease are no longer prescribed this medicine in line with the advice of the European Medicines Agency.

Shona Robison: The safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA has advised that the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended new restrictions and warnings for rosiglitazone, including advice that it is not recommended for use in patients with ischaemic heart disease or peripheral arterial disease, because of concerns about an increased risk of myocardial infarction in these patients.

  Health care professionals were informed about this new advice in the February 2008 edition of the MHRA Drug Safety Update bulletin. The product information for all rosiglitazone containing products is also being updated to incorporate the new advice.

Drug Courts

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will outline its proposals for drug courts beyond Fife and Glasgow.

Fergus Ewing: The position of the existing drug courts in Fife and Glasgow is due to be reviewed in spring 2009 against the progress made with the summary justice reforms. Meantime, there are no plans for further drug courts.

Drug Courts

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will confirm the future of the drug courts in Fife and Glasgow beyond their current funding terms.

Fergus Ewing: Funding provision for the existing drug courts in Fife and Glasgow has recently been included in the 2008-09 grant allocations for the relevant Community Justice Authorities. Future funding will be reviewed in spring 2009 against the progress made with the summary justice reforms.

Economy

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what public expenditure is as a percentage of gross domestic product.

John Swinney: The most recent published estimate is 51.0% of GDP, based on statistics produced in 2004-05 and published in December 2006. Updated figures will be available in June 2008.

Economy

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has stopped publishing figures for public expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser’s Economic Pocket Databank.

John Swinney: The Economic Pocket Databank is produced by the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser and its aim is to provide an update of the most recent available statistics for the Scottish economy. As a result, the content of this databank is reviewed on an on-going basis by Scottish Government officials with subsequent changes/revision to the publication. The figures relating to public expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product will not be updated for Scotland until June 2008 and earlier figures are available in previous versions of the Economic Pocket Databank and other Scottish Government publications. For previous versions of the Economic Pocket Databank please see the following Scottish Government website:   http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/Factfile/PocketDatabank .

Economy

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its target is for public expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not have a target for the level of public expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product. Our purpose is to focus the government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. This government’s purpose (and related targets) are set out in the Government Economic Strategy.

Education

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected number of primary school pupils is in school session 2010-11 in the (a) Dundee City, (b) Angus and (c) Aberdeenshire local authority areas and in total.

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected number of secondary school pupils is in school session 2010-11 in the (a) Dundee City, (b) Angus and (c) Aberdeenshire local authority areas and in total.

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected number of primary school pupils is in school session 2008-09 in the (a) Dundee City, (b) Angus and (c) Aberdeenshire local authority areas and in total.

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected number of secondary school pupils is in school session 2008-09 in the (a) Dundee City, (b) Angus and (c) Aberdeenshire local authority areas and in total.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is published on the government website, at the following address http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/PupilProjections2006 .

Electricity

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what peer-reviewed information it has gathered on the Crown Estate Commissioners’ recent report on proposals to create an undersea connector from Shetland to Norfolk in respect of costs, routes and markets.

Jim Mather: The East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study was commissioned by the Crown Estate. The Scottish Government has not gathered any additional information on the report but welcomes the contribution it makes towards exploring ways of harnessing and exporting Scotland’s vast renewable energy resource

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Small Business Consultative Group last met; what issues were discussed, and when it will next meet.

Jim Mather: The Small Business Consultative Group last met on 2 October 2007. Issues discussed at that meeting were: reform of the enterprise networks; the Skills Strategy, and the implementation of the Small Business Bonus. The next meeting is planned for 12 May 2008.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise awareness of Barrett’s oesophagus among the general public.

Nicola Sturgeon: No specific action is being taken to raise awareness of Barrett’s oesophagus as a condition. Action is, however, taking place to tackle known risk factors for the condition such as alcohol, diet, smoking and deprivation.

  The launch of the discussion document Better Cancer Care provides an opportunity to consider new ideas and approaches to improve the provision of information to patients and carers as part of our commitment to supporting self management and improving the patient’s experience.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it is making for further medical research into Barrett’s oesophagus.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government’s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO supports research projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the research community in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughout the health care and academic community in Scotland.

  The CSO is currently funding one research project into Barrett’s oesophagus and would welcome further research projects in this area which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise awareness of Barrett’s oesophagus among the health professionals and GPs.

Nicola Sturgeon: Barrett’s oesophagus is a condition which is not in itself a cancerous condition but is recognised as having an association with the subsequent development of oesophageal cancer in some cases.

  In June 2006, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) published a clinical guideline, Management of Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer, which provides comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals on the recognition, management and follow up of patients with Barrett’s oesophagus (www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign87.pdf).

  The SIGN guidelines are also highlighted in the HDL(2007)09 Scottish Referral Guidelines for suspected Cancer (www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2007_09.pdf).

  These are readily accessible by all health care professionals across NHSScotland.

  All doctors are expected to undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD). NHS boards and the GP Post Graduate Deaneries, through NHS Education for Scotland, facilitate on-going education and training, for which support is available both directly and online.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are diagnosed as suffering from Barrett’s oesophagus in each NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of people diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus in Scotland is not available centrally.

  However, it is possible to estimate the number of patients seen for the condition in general practices across Scotland using Practice Team Information (PTI). During 2005-06, the most recent year for which PTI data are available, it is estimated that 900 people consulted a member of the practice team (GP, practice nurse, district nurse or health visitor).

  This derives data from a sample of Scottish general practices and can only be used for national estimates given that the practice sample is not representative at NHS board level.

Health

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received to prevent delayed discharge in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Shona Robison: Spending Review 2004 allocated funding for delayed discharge through NHS boards not individual local authorities. This money has been used on a partnership basis to fund local joint initiatives.

Health

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of tuberculosis have been suspected since 2003, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The following table details for each of the last four years both the number of laboratory confirmed cases of tuberculosis and the number of clinical diagnoses of tuberculosis (without microbiological confirmation). The combination of these two figures provides the total number of suspected cases of tuberculosis that have been recorded for Scotland by the surveillance scheme co-ordinated by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) – The Enhanced Surveillance of Mycobacterial Infection (ESMI).

  Tuberculosis Surveillance Information: 2003-06

  

 
 2003
 2004


 Lab Confirmed Case
 Clinical Diagnosis Only
 Lab Confirmed Case
 Clinical Diagnosis Only


 Argyll and Clyde
 21
 10
 12
 11


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2
 6
 6
 5


 Borders
 3
 0
 3
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 0
 4
 1


 Fife
 2
 12
 6
 3


 Forth Valley
 5
 6
 4
 2


 Grampian
 13
 5
 19
 1


 Greater Glasgow
 123
 47
 118
 51


 Highland
 6
 1
 7
 1


 Lanarkshire
 21
 7
 29
 6


 Lothian
 43
 8
 64
 19


 Shetland
 0
 0
 0
 2


 Tayside
 10
 3
 12
 3


 Western Isles
 1
 1
 1
 0


 Total cases
 250
 106
 285
 107



  

 
2005
2006*


Lab Confirmed Case
Clinical Diagnosis Only
Lab Confirmed Case
Clinical Diagnosis Only


Argyll and Clyde
23
10
2
14


Ayrshire and Arran
0
0
8
1


Borders
0
1
4
4


Dumfries and Galloway
0
0
11
0


Fife
15
5
10
3


Forth Valley
4
0
2
1


Grampian
12
13
23
10


Greater Glasgow
113
36
121
50


Highland
11
0
7
2


Lanarkshire
22
4
42
7


Lothian
49
24
41
11


Shetland
0
1
0
1


Tayside
5
0
12
2


Western Isles
1
0
0
0


Total cases
255
94
283
106



  Source: HPS.

  Notes:

  *Data for 2006 is provisional and may be subject to change.

  Health board is the NHS board that submitted ESMI Form A, the initial notification form.

  A laboratory confirmed case is one with microbiological evidence of mycobacterial infection.

Health

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unconfirmed cases of tuberculosis have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory for confirmation since 2003, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The number of unconfirmed cases is given by those cases which are recorded as those with a clinical diagnosis alone. This is detailed in the following table for each of the last four years.

  Clinical Diagnosis of Tuberculosis: 2003-06

  

 
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006*


 Argyll and Clyde
 10
 11
 10
 14


 Ayrshire and Arran
 6
 5
 0
 1


 Borders
 0
 2
 1
 4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Fife
 12
 3
 5
 3


 Forth Valley
 6
 2
 0
 1


 Grampian
 5
 1
 13
 10


 Greater Glasgow
 47
 51
 36
 50


 Highland
 1
 1
 0
 2


 Lanarkshire
 7
 6
 4
 7


 Lothian
 8
 19
 24
 11


 Shetland
 0
 2
 1
 1


 Tayside
 3
 3
 0
 2


 Western Isles
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Total cases
 106
 107
 94
 106



  Source: HPS.

  Notes:

  *Data for 2006 is provisional and may be subject to change.

  Health board is the NHS board that submitted ESMI Form A, the initial notification form.

Health

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many suspected cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory since 2003, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The following table details the number of laboratory confirmed cases of TB in Scotland in 2003-06. The figures shown is that reported for all laboratories – almost all of these cases are reported by the reference laboratory but in a small number of cases (e.g. in which the local laboratory culture material has died), the local laboratory alone is reporting the case.

  Laboratory Confirmation of TB: 2003-06

  

 
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006*


 Argyll and Clyde
 21
 12
 23
 2


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2
 6
 0
 8


 Borders
 3
 3
 0
 4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 4
 0
 11


 Fife
 2
 6
 15
 10


 Forth Valley
 5
 4
 4
 2


 Grampian
 13
 19
 12
 23


 Greater Glasgow
 123
 118
 113
 121


 Highland
 6
 7
 11
 7


 Lanarkshire
 21
 29
 22
 42


 Lothian
 43
 64
 49
 41


 Shetland
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Tayside
 10
 12
 5
 12


 Western Isles
 1
 1
 1
 0


 Total cases
 250
 285
 255
 283



  Source: HPS.

  Notes:

  *Data for 2006 is provisional and may be subject to change.

  Health Board is the NHS board that submitted ESMI Form A, the initial notification form.

  A laboratory confirmed case is one with microbiological evidence of mycobacterial infection.

Health

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Scottish guidelines on the management of tuberculosis to be published.

Shona Robison: NHS Health Protection Scotland are currently in the final stages of producing Scottish guidelines on the management of tuberculosis, based on the NICE guidelines. We plan to publish the document by the summer.

Health

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken on stroke issues and which organisations are involved in such work.

Nicola Sturgeon: The national CHD and Stroke Strategy, first published in 2002 and updated in 2004, sets out our approach to improving stroke care through each NHS board’s stroke Managed Clinical Network. We are in the process of revising the strategy to take account of the findings of the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland review of performance against its clinical standards for stroke, the key recommendations from the most recent Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) report, and SIGN Guideline 97 on risk estimation and the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

  New SIGN Guidelines on the management of stroke are expected later this year.

  We work with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies to take forward the stroke agenda. As the action plan signalled, we will continue to treat stroke as one of the clinical priorities of NHSScotland.

Legislation

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Government regulations have been (a) introduced and (b) rescinded since May 2007.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7645 on 30 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Local Government Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received under the Specialist Provision Programme - Centres of Excellence in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Maureen Watt: Funding was allocated to seven local authorities under the Centres of Excellence programme as follows:

  

 Authority
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Aberdeen City
£753,000
£771,500
£792,300


 East Ayrshire
£404,000
£269,400
£134,700


 East Dunbartonshire
£715,000
£732,600
£752,400


 City of Edinburgh
£646,000
£661,900
£679,800


 Fife
£154,000
£102,700
£51,400


 Glasgow City
£2,084,500
£2,010,600
£1,941,900


 Highland
£389,500
£399,100
£409,900

NHS Spending

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that NHS Lanarkshire spreads its investments across its area from 2008 to 2011.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is a matter for NHS Lanarkshire to identify their service priorities, taking into account value for money, which will provide the greatest benefit to the people of Lanarkshire.

NHS Spending

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional resources to NHS Lanarkshire to enable a community hospital to be built in Clydesdale.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional resources to NHS Lanarkshire to enable a new health centre to be built in Carluke.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional resources to NHS Lanarkshire to enable a minor injuries unit to be built in Lanark.

Nicola Sturgeon: When I made my statement to Parliament on 6 June 2007 announcing my decision to retain accident and emergency services at Monklands and Ayr Hospitals, I made it clear that I expected the boards to deliver as many of their original proposals as possible within the resources available to them.

  The board have recently been informed of their allocation following Parliament’s support of the Budget Bill and I will announce shortly my decision on the work of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee.

NHS Spending

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the NHS’s contract for IT consultancy work with Deloitte (a) commenced and (b) will end; what the total cost of the contract is; what Deloitte’s remit is under the contract, and how many consultants from Deloitte are engaged in IT work in the NHS in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: A contract for support for the eHealth Programme was let to Deloitte following a competitively tendered OJEU procurement in May 2007.

  The contract was for an initial nine months with an option to extend to 36 months. NHS Scotland has now advertised through OJEU for a replacement framework contract which is intended to make support available from a wider range of companies who can help the NHS gain benefits from the eHealth Programme.

  The role of the existing contract is to provide interim management support for new approaches to IT governance. The Audit Scotland report Managing IT to deliver information in the NHS in Scotland of November 2006 highlighted the need to improve governance arrangements for eHealth and to improve its approach to delivering benefits from IT investment.

  Deloitte’s remit includes the:

  provision of suitably qualified personnel to fill key posts on an interim basis, particularly Acting Heads of Programmes, Change/ Benefits and Communications and Design Authority;

  setting up and supporting improved programme governance structures;

  setting up a programme management office and defining appropriate programme management processes;

  setting up mechanisms to monitor eHealth spend across NHS Scotland, as called for by the Audit Scotland;

  establishing and supporting a design authority and developing appropriate technical standards;

  establishing a change, benefits and communications function and defining an appropriate benefits management strategy and approach, and

  developing a communications strategy and plan.

  Some of these roles are time limited other will be filled over the next few months by staff from the Scottish Government or from NHS Scotland. The number of contractors has varied between seven and 20 over the contract duration as resource demands have changed. Most of these are filling interim roles in the central management of the programme with smaller numbers supporting boards direct on different projects.

  The value of the Deloitte contract to date is circa £3 million including VAT. The total contract cost will depend on when the new framework becomes available and the replacement of interim roles with public sector staff.

NHS Staff

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many training grade doctors there will be in each speciality in NHS Lothian in August 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of training grade doctors is set by the Scottish Executive (with input from NES and medical speciality boards) on a yearly basis. The numbers of training places for 2009 will not be set until November 2008.

  The Scottish Executive sets training numbers on a global basis for the whole of Scotland not by NHS board level. It is up to NHS National Education Scotland (NES) to set training places for the regions around Scotland.

Non-Domestic Rates

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses will benefit from the decision to remove or reduce business rates for businesses with a rateable value of (a) up to £8,000, (b) from £8,001 to £10,000 and (c) from £10,001 to £15,000, broken down by (i) Scottish parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area.

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses will benefit from the decision to (a) remove business rates for businesses with a rateable value of up to £8,000, (b) halve the rates for businesses with a rateable value of £8,001 to £10,000 and (c) reduce by a quarter rates for businesses with a rateable value of £10,001 to £15,000, broken down by (i) Scottish parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area.

John Swinney: Information on businesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available for each local authority area on the Scottish Assessors Portal ( www.saa.gov.uk ).

  This information was given in response to answer to question S3W-7498 on 13 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Non-Domestic Rates

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average saving in 2008-09 will be for businesses with a rateable value of (a) up to £8,000, (b) from £8,001 to £10,000 and (c) from £10,001 to £15,000, broken down by (i) Scottish parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area as a result of the increase in the business rate rebate.

John Swinney: Information on businesses in the detail requested is not held centrally. Information on the average savings for business properties in 2008-09 according to their rateable value is available for Scotland as a whole and is presented as follows, together with the number of business properties falling in each band. Savings represent the projected amount of additional relief that will be available under the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09 compared with the percentage relief that would have been available under the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme (had it continued at the same rates of relief as in 2007-08):

  

RateableValue Bands
 Number of Separate Business Properties
 Average Rateable Value (£)
 % Small Business Rates Relief (2007-08)
% Small Business Bonus Scheme (2008-09)
% Additional Saving Under SBBS (2008-09)
 Average Additional Saving SBBS (2008-09) (£)


 up to £1,000
 28,482
£512
 50%
 80%
 30%
£70


£1,001 to £2,000
 22,781
£1,511
£208


£2,001 to £3,000
 18,849
£2,532
£348


£3,001 to £3,500
 7,884
£3,279
£451


£3,501 to £4,000
 7,461
£3,790
 40%
 40%
£694


£4,001 to £4,500
 6,867
£4,298
£787


£4,501 to £5,000
 6,427
£4,796
 30%
 50%
£1,098


£5,001 to £5,750
 7,478
£5,394
£1,235


£5,751 to £6,000
 2,941
£5,911
 20%
 60%
£1,625


£6,001 to £7,000
 8,406
£6,536
£1,796


£7,001 to £8,000
 7,053
£7,551
 10%
 70%
£2,421


£8,001 to £9,000
 6,312
£8,567
 5%
 40%
35%
£1,373


£9,001 to £10,000
 5,284
£9,559
£1,532


£10,001 to £11,000
 4,379
£10,575
 20%
 15%
£727


£11,001 to £11,500
 1,986
£11,330
£778


£11,501 to £12,000
 1,862
£11,835
 NIL
 20%
£1,084


£12,001 to £13,000
 3,465
£12,572
£1,152


£13,001 to £14,000
 2,991
£13,589
£1,245


£14,001 to £15,000
 2,756
£14,594
£1,337


 Total
 153,664
 
 Average up to £15,000
£752



  Notes:

  1. To allow comparison between the new Small Business Bonus Scheme and the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme, information is given for each £1,000 rateable value band up to £15,000. Additional bands correspond to the thresholds for different percentage reliefs available under the 2007-08 Small Business Rates Relief Scheme.

  2. To ensure comparability, the 2008-09 poundage rate (45.8 pence in the pound) has been used in all calculations.

  3. For illustrative purposes, the table also shows the number of non-domestic properties, except zero-rated properties, with rateable values of up to £15,000, together with their average rateable value (source: Scottish Assessors Portal, 1 October 2007; (www.saa.gov.uk).

  4. Percentage relief available under the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09 represents 80% of the full Scheme benefits, which will be available from 2009-10.

  5. The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties in each area, because some businesses have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:

  the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland of which the business is in rateable occupation or (if vacant) which the business is entitled to occupy;

  whether the property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and

  the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.

Non-Domestic Rates

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual saving will be for businesses with a rateable value of (a) up to £8,000, (b) from £8,001 to £10,000 and (c) from £10,001 to £15,000 as a result of the removal of or reduction in business rates for small businesses.

John Swinney: Information on the average annual saving for business properties with a rateable value of up to £15,000 is presented as follows for (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10 and 2010-11. Savings represent the projected amount of additional relief that will be available for each rateable value band under the Small Business Bonus Scheme compared with the percentage relief that would have been available under the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme had it continued at the same rates of relief as in 2007-08:

  (i) 2008-09:

  

 Rateable Value Bands
% Small Business Rates Relief
(2007-08)
% Small Business BonusScheme
(2008-09)
 % Additional Saving Under SBBS
(2008-09)
£ Average Additional Saving SBBS
(2008-09)


 up to £1,000
 50%
 80%
 30%
£70


£1,001 to £2,000
£208


£2,001 to £3,000
£348


£3,001 to £3,500
£451


£3,501 to £4,000
 40%
 40%
£694


£4,001 to £4,500
£787


£4,501 to £5,000
 30%
 50%
£1,098


£5,001 to £5,750
£1,235


£5,751 to £6,000
 20%
 60%
£1,625


£6,001 to £7,000
£1,796


£7,001 to £8,000
 10%
 70%
£2,421


£8,001 to £9,000
 5%
 40%
35%
£1,373


£9,001 to £10,000
£1,532


£10,001 to £11,000
 20%
 15%
£727


£11,001 to £11,500
£778


£11,501 to £12,000
 NIL
 20%
£1,084


£12,001 to £13,000
£1,152


£13,001 to £14,000
£1,245


£14,001 to £15,000
£1,337


 Average up to £15,000 for 2008-09
£752



  (ii) 2009-10 and 2010-11:

  

 Rateable Value Bands
% Small Business RatesRelief
(2007-08)
 % Small Business Bonus Scheme
(2009-10 & 2010-11)
 % Additional saving under SBBS
(2009-10 & 2010-11)
£ Average Additional Saving SBBS
(2009-10 & 2010-11)


 up to £1,000
 50%
 100%
 50%
£117


£1,001 to £2,000
£346


£2,001 to £3,000
£580


£3,001 to £3,500
£751


£3,501 to £4,000
 40%
 60%
£1,042


£4,001 to £4,500
£1,181


£4,501 to £5,000
 30%
 70%
£1,538


£5,001 to £5,750
£1,729


£5,751 to £6,000
 20%
 80%
£2,166


£6,001 to £7,000
£2,395


£7,001 to £8,000
 10%
 90%
£3,113


£8,001 to £9,000
 5%
 50%
45%
£1,766


£9,001 to £10,000
£1,970


£10,001 to £11,000
 25%
 20%
£969


£11,001 to £11,500
£1,038


£11,501 to £12,000
 NIL
 25%
£1,355


£12,001 to £13,000
£1,440


£13,001 to £14,000
£1,556


£14,001 to £15,000
£1,671


 Average up to £15,000 for 2009-10 and 2010-11
£1,040



  Notes:

  1. To allow comparison between the new Small Business Bonus Scheme and the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme, information is given for each £1,000 rateable value band up to £15,000. Additional bands correspond to the thresholds for different percentage reliefs available under the 2007-08 Small Business Rates Relief Scheme.

  2. To ensure comparability, the 2008-09 poundage rate (45.8 pence in the pound) has been used in all calculations for all years.

  3. Percentage relief available under the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09 represents 80% of the full Scheme benefits, which will be available from 2009-10.

  4. Rateable value thresholds for 2010-11 may be subject to change as a result of the Revaluation planned for 2010.

  5. The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties in each area, because some businesses have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:

  the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland of which the business is in rateable occupation or (if vacant) which the business is entitled to occupy;

  whether the property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and

  the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that the national care standards adequately protect people with dementia.

Shona Robison: The National Care Standards are based on a set of principles which reflect the recognised rights that the people using care services have as citizens. These principles are dignity, privacy, choice, realising potential, equality and diversity and safety.

  There are requirements in the National Care Standards to ensure that everyone using care services is protected. These include a requirement on providers to:

  ensure that services are free from bullying, harassment and any other form of abuse;

  ensure that in 24 hour services such as care homes visitors may only enter with permission;

  have in place safe recruitment practices which include Disclosure Scotland checks, and

  have policies and procedures for managing risk and carry out risk assessments for each person using the service to ensure that there is a balance between the risks the service user wants to take and what is safe.

  People using care services should also be encouraged and supported to use an independent and confidential advocacy service to act for them.

  The Care Commission ensures that care services meet the requirements in the National Care Standards.

Post Offices

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what help it is giving to keep rural post offices open.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable social role of post offices, particularly in deprived and remote areas of Scotland. However, postal services are a matter reserved to the UK Government.

  Scottish Government is monitoring Post Office Limited’s restructuring proposals. I have encouraged all MSPs and local authorities to look very carefully at what is proposed to ensure that the interests of the public, particularly vulnerable groups, have been properly taken into account. I have also been in active discussion with Post Office Limited to ensure it has an awareness of potential business opportunities under the Scottish Government’s agenda to streamline and improve public services and key stakeholders, and to ensure that the restructuring programme promotes transparency and open discussion of the issues.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-7640, S3W-7639 and S3W-7637 by John Swinney on 13 December 2007, what categories of information about PFI/PPP contracts entered into by (a) the Scottish Government, (b) local authorities and (c) NHS boards are held centrally.

John Swinney: Categories of information about PFI/PPP contracts in general can be found within the standard PPP contract documentation which is available on the Scottish Government Financial Partnerships Unit’s website under the heading "publications". www.scotland.gov.uk/ppp .

  Scottish Government specific PPP contracts can be found on this website under the heading "FOI". This is also the place to find PPP contracts for local authorities and NHS boards, where we hold this information. Information on the contract for Kilmarnock Prison is available from Scottish Prison Service’s website at www.sps.gov.uk/Default.asp?menuid=231.

Roads

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the suitability of funding the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route through the Scottish Futures Trust.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8469 on 22 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Government Staff

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many overseas visits each official in the Financial Partnerships Unit, or predecessor equivalent, has undertaken since 1999, broken down by (a) purpose and (b) cost of each visit.

John Swinney: This information was the subject of a Freedom of Information request in November 2007 and is still current. The response provided can be accessed on the Scottish Government Financial Partnership Unit’s website under the sub-heading PPP miscellaneous. www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/FOI .

Single Outcome Agreements

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6664 by John Swinney on 17 December 2007, how members of the public and others can hold local authorities to account for the provision of services not directly linked to national outcomes yet still of vital importance to many people, such as social care services for adults.

John Swinney: Under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, councils currently have, and will continue to have, a duty to make arrangements for reporting to the public on the performance of their functions.

  The national outcomes and indicators do not take the place of, or diminish the importance of, continued delivery of the statutory responsibilities placed on councils and their partners to care for all people in their communities. However, there is a general understanding that all council services will make some level of contribution to one or more of the national outcomes.

  Beyond this, we would expect that local authorities will wish to demonstrate their commitment to improving care services through the single outcome agreements. Each agreement will reflect the priorities of the local authority and agreed local outcomes will take account of these priorities. The Scottish Government would expect to have discussions with each local authority about their ambitions for key policy areas, including social care.

Teachers

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings of the General Teaching Council Scotland’s 2006-07 employment survey of probationer teachers, what plans it has to ensure that a higher percentage of newly qualified teachers can secure permanent teaching posts.

Maureen Watt: The contractual arrangements for teachers are matters for local authorities as employers. However, the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers has agreed a code of practice which states that while recognising service needs local authorities should be providing opportunities for teachers to gain secure employment.

Teachers

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to tackle the falling employment rate among newly qualified teachers.

Maureen Watt: We have signed a concordat with local government that commits local authorities to broadly maintain teacher numbers against a backdrop of falling school rolls. This will provide additional employment opportunities for new teachers.

Teachers

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of research by the General Teaching Council Scotland indicating that 30.5% of newly qualified primary teachers secured permanent posts by October 2007, what plans it has to tackle the lack of permanent positions available in the primary sector.

Maureen Watt: The form of contract under which primary teachers are employed is a matter for local authorities as employers. We have signed a concordat with local government that commits local authorities to broadly maintain teacher numbers when pupil rolls are falling. This will provide additional posts for primary teachers as local authorities use the headroom created to reduce class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3 to a maximum of 18 pupils.

Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a development management scheme in line with that proposed during the passage of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003.

Fergus Ewing: Officials are currently working on a section 104 Order under the Scotland Act 1998 to make provision in consequence of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 for the development management scheme.

  The development management scheme will create a new form of corporate body to form the owners' association which will run a development in accordance with the terms of the scheme. The creation and regulation of such a corporate body is in terms of the Scotland Act 1998 reserved to the Westminster Parliament.

  The scheme is intended for use in larger, more complex developments. The Tenement Management Scheme in the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 already applies to all tenement property in Scotland. This ensures that all tenements in Scotland benefit from default rules which allow for management and maintenance to be carried out by a majority of owners where this is not provided for in the title deeds.

Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of a development management scheme under the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003.

Fergus Ewing: Officials are in discussion with their counterparts at the Scotland Office, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate General on the terms of the section 104 Order to implement the development management provisions in the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9311 on 19 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Government has given a timescale for the introduction of a development management scheme under the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003.

Fergus Ewing: My officials are in consultation with the Scotland Office and the intention is to ask UK Ministers to lay the s104 Order in the spring.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9311 on 19 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits it believes would be gained through the introduction of a development management scheme under the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003.

Fergus Ewing: The development management scheme will be a useful model for developers which they can either adopt or adapt. The scheme will make it clear where obligations and liabilities lie, for example for maintenance, in relation to shared facilities and thereby reduce the scope for conflict.

  A further benefit of the development management scheme is that it will create a new form of corporate body to form the owners’ association which will run a development in accordance with the terms of the scheme.

  The scheme is intended for use in larger, more complex developments. The Tenement Management Scheme in the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 already applies to all tenement property in Scotland. This ensures that all tenements in Scotland benefit from default rules which allow for management and maintenance to be carried out by a majority of owners where this is not provided for in the title deeds.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the implementation of BCG immunisation in response to recent reports of tuberculosis.

Shona Robison: Following a continued decline in tuberculosis (TB) rates in the UK the universal childhood vaccination programme was discontinued in 2005. This change was recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the independent expert advisory committee that provides advice on issues of immunisation and vaccination to all UK health ministers. TB is not a highly transmissible disease and nearly all children who get TB are infected by family members after prolonged close contact. Stopping the schools programme and concentrating on reaching those children who are most at risk at an age when the vaccine is most effective will reduce the risks posed by TB in those areas where rates are highest.

  The advice from the JCVI was based on the latest scientific and epidemiological data and the changes to the programme brought us into line with international World Health Organization guidelines.

VisitScotland

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial savings are expected to result from the reorganisation of VisitScotland.

Jim Mather: VisitScotland has estimated that savings within the range £1.2 million to £1.6 million each year will be delivered from the current internal reorganisation of its structure.

Voluntary Sector

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of contracts awarded by NHS Scotland to voluntary sector organisations in each year since 2003.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Scotland does not specifically collect details on what contracts it awards to voluntary sector organisations, however the amount paid by NHS Scotland to voluntary bodies for providing health care services since 2003 has been:

  

 Year
£000


 2003-04
 6,634


 2004-05
 8,023


 2005-06
 7,637


 2006-07
 8,832

Voluntary Sector

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of contracts awarded by NHS Scotland to voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations in each year since 2003, broken down by (a) NHS board, (b) VCS organisation and (c) contract type.

Nicola Sturgeon: While NHS Scotland does not specifically collect details on what contracts it awards to voluntary sector organisations, NHS boards do provide information on how much they pay to voluntary bodies for providing health care services; however they do not provide details as to the split between voluntary and community sector organisations or expenditure by contract type.

  The amount paid to voluntary bodies broken down by NHS board since 2003 is:

  

 Board
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


£000
£000
£000
£000


 Argyll and Clyde
 129
 154
 145
 n/a


 Ayrshire and Arran
 30
 28
 30
 31


 Borders
 13
 34
 36
 191


 Dumfries and Galloway
 121
 122
 134
 209


 Fife
 826
 914
 1,123
 1,236


 Forth Valley
 429
 571
 646
 1,228


 Grampian
 696
 791
 743
 710


 Greater Glasgow
 1,844
 1,993
 2,074
 2,253


 Highland
 1,151
 1,859
 1,012
 1,103


 Lanarkshire
 387
 379
 347
 465


 Lothian
 597
 850
 966
 971


 Orkney
 45
 40
 50
 42


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Tayside
 233
 153
 194
 246


 Western Isles
 133
 135
 137
 147


 
 6,634
 8,023
 7,637
 8,832

 ,

Voluntary Sector

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value was of services provided by voluntary sector organisations to NHS Scotland in each year since 2003.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of contracts awarded by NHS Scotland to voluntary sector organisations would have been in each year since 2003 if these contracts were awarded on the basis of full cost recovery.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of services provided by voluntary and community sector organisations to NHS Scotland.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to NHS Scotland would be if it needed to run the services currently being run by voluntary and community sector organisations.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally by Scottish Government.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has incurred any costs in respect of the opinion provided by Queen’s Counsel to the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner on the issue of the Wendy Alexander leadership campaign and, if so, what costs were incurred and from which Queen’s Counsel the opinion was sought.

Mike Pringle: In undertaking his functions the commissioner has his own separate budget which for 2007-08 is £90,000, included within which is £23,340 for professional fees.

  Under the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Act 2002, investigations must be conducted in private and it is therefore not appropriate to comment further.